Self and erasmus d



J. D. CHAMBERS.

Corn Planter.

Patented Dc. 15,1868.

N. PETERS Photolimagmpher. washington. n. Q.

animi I time @muerta JOHN D. CHAMBERS, OF CARTHAGE, MISSOURI, ASSIGNORIO HIM- SELF AND ERASMUS D. ROWLAND, OF THE SAME PLACE. I Letters Patent No. 84,936, dated December 15, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT iN conn-PLANTER The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent'ahd. making part of the Bama.

To all 'whom 'it 'may concern ings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a side view ofmy improved corn-planter.

Figure 2 is a top view o1' the same.

Figure 3 is a detail vertical section ofthe dropperapparatus, through the line :l: x, iig. 1.

Figure 4 is a section of the same, taken through the line y y,.ig. 3.

Figure 5 is a detail top View of the corn-hopper.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

The object of this invention is'to provide a simple and eliective corn-planting machine, the construction and operation of which are herein fully set forth.

In the drawingsn A A are the principal frame-timbers of the machine, and

D and E are cross-timbers uniting them.

The forward ends of the frame-timbers are hinged to the cross-brace C ofthe shafts, which rlatter are bent in a U-shape, from a single piece of timber.

The frame and shafts are hinged together, as shown, so as to permit the cutter G to accommodate itself to the irregularities of the ground in planting, and also to enable the same to be raised clear of the ground when the machine is being drawn to or from the field.

The cutter is anv edged plate of steel, or iron and steel, curved upward in front, as shown, the front end being afxed, in any suitable manner, to the middle of the cross-brace C of the shafts. lThe rear end or heel V,of the cutter is afiixed to a stout upright, H, forming part of the dropper-chute I II, as shown.

The upright, H, is firmly atiixed to the rear or bow part of the shafts, as shown, thus holding the cutter rigidly.

The heel of the cutter is hollow, having a vertical opening, J, formed, by the separation of the said heel, into two parts, which gives the rear part of the cutter a wedge-form, suitable for opening the fuirow.

The dropper-chute opens downward into thc cavity of heel, which cavity opens downward into the furrow inade by the cutter.

The chopper-mechanism consists ofa hopper, K, surmounting the chute, and opening downward through a hole, a, in the hopperbottom, into the chute I The chute is composedV of the upright, H, and a similar upright, I, arising from the heel of the cutter, both uprights being united by a central partition, b, extending down into the opening, J, thus dividing the chute into two compartments, and making'a double chute of it.

The sides of these chutes consist of the strips or vanes c c, pivoted between the uprights I and H at d.

These strips fit, with easy contact of their lateral edges, against the uprights I and H, and have a vibrating motion, which is given by the arms c e, from the oscillating shaft f, which passes through the partition I1, and has bearings in the uprights I and H.

The arms extend upward on either side of the partition, and are soiarrangcd, with reference to the side strips c c, that the said strips will be alternately pushed out to the edge of the parts I and H, as the shaft fis oscillated, which is donc bythe driver, who sits on the seat L, with a foot oucither of the step-plates y of the beam M, which latter is affixed in the end of the shaft j'.

The hopper K restson and is affixed to a bed, lt, which latter is formed witha wide slot or recess, for a perforated plate, nl, to slide to and fro therein, over the'downward opening, 'i i, of the said bed..

The peribrated plate is made to work to and fro in its recess by means of the strips c c, which have`pins or pointed ends, iittin g loosely in holes in the' plate, as shown, or they may be connected with the plate by any other suitable device.

As the arms c move the strips c, so will the 'plate m he moved to and fro.

The plate -m has a number of large perforations or holes, which, in passing under the opening, a, of the hopper-bottom, receive the corn into the said holes, and in passing over the openings i i, discharge it downward, through them, into the compartments of the l chute.

The strips c c are so arranged that the lowerv endof the compartments will be alternately opened and closed, as shown in 3, by the vibration of the strips.

Thus, by the motion of the plate m, the corn in the hopper K is fed into the holes in the said plate, and by it discharged into the compartments of the chute through the openings it', as before stated.

The weight of the machine is principally borne by the grooved ':overing-whecl N, arranged in the rear end of the frame A, as shown, but a second wheel, O, arranged on a diagonal axle-bar, P, is employed to balance the machine, and to serve also as a gauge-wheel to track along the adjacent furrow, and thusV enable the furrows to be run parallel to each other.

The axle I of this second wheel is reversible, so as to bring it on either side ofthe frame, for the axle-bar P is pivoted to the cross-beam D, and the brace Q (which serves to hold the bar P firmly) is pivoted to in the back of the seat I. This scraper keeps the grooved tread of the Wheel N from choking or clog# ging. This scraper is lifted or brought down upon the wheel by bearing down or raising the lever j. v l

o is a lever, having a fulerum, p, on the frame, and having its short arm pivoted to the same part of the shafts, or the upright, H, as at q. y

The handle-end of this lever is conveniently accessible to the driver when on the seat, and -pins or hooks are arranged on the frame in a suitable position to hold the lever when the cutter is in its raised or lowered position.

'The grooved tread of the Wheel N acts to cover in the corn when dropped inthe furrow, for the said wheel and the cutter are`arrangcd in the Same line.

This 'machine is also available for planting other large grain or pulse.

Having thus described my invention,

I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. 'lhe alTa-ngement, in a corn-planting machine, of,

described. Y

JOHN D. CHAMBERS.

' Witnesses: Y

JOHN T. BURHAM, JAMES F. HOPKINS. 

